Board passes amended budget, projected budget

Saturday

Jul 5, 2014 at 9:59 AMJul 5, 2014 at 9:59 AM

By Chris Worst@ChrisWorst_TDR

BRONSON — The Bronson Community Schools Board of Education took several important actions Monday night, beginning with the passage of its final 2013-14 budget amendment.“This year, we had numerous items that impacted the bottom line,” said business manager Rachelle Roby. “We were able to reduce the amount of the expenditures from $9,284,761 to $9,083,606.”Revenues in the amended budget totalled $9,061,568, meaning the district will spend $22,038 more than received in revenue, but Roby expects the final numbers to be better.“I hope this information is a conservative but fairly accurate picture of where we’re going to end the year,” Roby said.The amended budget passed unanimously.The board also passed a projected budget for the 2014-15 fiscal year.“We use this budget for cash flow purposes, and it will be better in October,” Roby said.Expenditures in the budget included funding to replace boilers at Anderson Elementary “just in the situation that the sinking fund would not pass,” Roby said. “We have to do something with those boilers.”The new budget also passed unanimously.The final action item addressed by the board was to consider raising wages for administrative and support staff.“I think it was our intent not to have rate increases in salaries, but as Rachelle (Roby) shared last month and a little bit tonight, the health insurance costs are continuing to rise substantially,” said outgoing superintendent Jim Modert.Modert said that teachers previously received increases to help cover the rising healthcare costs, and wanted to do something similar for support staff.“My recommendation would be that you pass a resolution to freeze the wages until such time that you have the opportunity to meet with Teresa (Belote, newly-hired superintendent) and Rachelle (Roby) and the support staff ... to consider insurance,” Modert said.Due to conflict of interest laws, board members Dennis Sikorski, Rick Miller and Mike Roberts were barred from participating in the discussion.Board member Jan Byler put forth the motion to “freeze support staff and administrative wages and look at options for a significant change in insurance...when we see changes in insurance, the board will consider changes in wages for administrative and support staff.”The board passed the motion with all members voting yes except for Sikorski, Miller and Roberts, all of whom abstained.Other issues addressed by the board included:Final approval of revised board policiesThe renewal of Bronson Community Schools’ participation in the Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA)The addition of “Retired Administrator” as a position selectable by the Hall of Fame Selection Committee, which selects honorees for the annual Hall of Fame induction ceremonyThe ratification of a Master Agreement with the BEA for 2014-2015 and 2015-2016The board also wished Modert, who is retiring, their best.“I don’t remember Bronson without Jim Modert,” said board vice president Deb Balowski. “Thank you very much.”“You do bleed purple,” board member Kris Sobeski told Modert. “It doesn’t matter where you live; you do bleed purple, and you always have.”The next regularly-scheduled meeting of the board will take place July 14, 2014 at 6:30 p.m. in the Bronson Jr.-Sr. High School library.

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